Chapter 2

Arianna was quite uninhibited in the bedroom.

Elegant and proper during the day, demanding at night.

In recent years, as her stress increased dramatically, she had to be meticulous and airtight in her words and actions as a famous female divorce lawyer. As a result, she increasingly lived in a closed-off mode.

Only in the intimate moments of the night, when she was panting with desire in my ear, could I find traces of that shy girl who used to blush at the sight of me.

We were classmates in a graduate seminar. She pursued me.

The proud and vivacious girl only had affectionate, shy glances for me. I fell for her quickly.

Later, I stayed at the university as a psychology professor. She started as a salaried lawyer and worked her way up to partner, becoming a nationally renowned female divorce lawyer earning millions a year.

We had many similarities in personality:

Emotionally stable, rational and pragmatic, objective and calm, particular about quality of life, willing to work hard for our ideals.

I had a stable and respectable job that allowed me to take care of the child and family. She was successful in her career, soaring in her professional field. Married for eight years, we respected each other and achieved together, living in a million-dollar apartment with an easy-to-raise "genius" son.

You could say we were an enviable family.

But half a year ago, she suddenly changed.

She had a habit of night running.

She used to leave at 8 pm and return at 9 pm, then shower and spend half an hour of family time.

Like clockwork.

But six months ago, she suddenly started leaving at 7 pm and not returning until 10 pm. When she came back, she seemed exhausted and went straight to bed after showering. Family time was naturally cancelled.

I asked her why her night runs had become so long.

She said flatly, "The case is at a dead end. Staying out longer helps clear my head."

Mental labor can sometimes be more tiring than physical labor.

I understood.

Later, she seemed to suddenly lose interest in intimacy. Not only did she no longer initiate, but she repeatedly rejected me, citing being "too tired".

I thought it was because of her stress and was very worried.

That's why after she was hospitalized for the hiking injury, I strongly urged her to take a break from work and recuperate for a while, and had the doctors do a full checkup.

But now it seems the situation was not as I had imagined...

I lay back in bed, staring at the ceiling in the dark with wide eyes.

Her words earlier made her seem like a stranger, and the expression on her face felt even more unreal.

So much so that after suffering two major blows today, intense curiosity overrode what should have been feelings of heartbreak and anger.

I was really curious.

What kind of man was on the other end of that call, to make Arianna, who had become utterly rational in recent years, behave like that?

I've always been direct in my actions.

The next night, I slipped sleeping pills into her milk.